Kitchen Adventures || Coconut Cauliflower Chicken Curry
Hello again! Here we are with another week at home and another new concoction! I don’t know about you, but I love food of all cuisines. As I go through my week, I’ll have cravings for everything from sushi, to enchiladas, to curries, to bierocks…. This week… I wanted a curry.
The blend of spices that go into curries is so aromatic and curries actually have some food super powers! There are many different kinds of curries of course, but here are some benefits of the blend I made. Turmeric, if you haven’t already heard, is like powdered gold. It contains medicinal compounds like curcumin that aid in lowering inflammation and the risk of heart disease. It’s good for brain function and has even been found to be helpful in treating Alzheimers! There is so much more that turmeric is good for, but we’ll move on. Next up is cumin. Cumin is a good source of iron, aids in digestion, and has antimicrobial properties. Coriander helps regulate blood pressure and relieves skin inflammation. Cardamom improves breathing and oxygen uptake by opening the airways and contains cancer fighting compounds. Ginger is a natural pain reliever and can help fight cold & flu and garlic is full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Aside from being delicious, curries are a great way to naturally give yourself a boost.
Add in the benefits you get from all the veggies in this dish and dang! You basically have a bowl of health!
Give this a go and enjoy everything you’ll get from both a flavor and a health perspective!
Coconut Cauliflower (Chicken) Curry
*The chicken is entirely optional… Leave it out for a fantastic veggie based dish
INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP coconut oil
1 small yellow onion – diced
1 small head of cauliflower – cut into florets
1 medium sweet potato – peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper – sliced
1 jalapeno – seeded and diced
1 cup frozen peas
4-5 handfuls fresh spinach
1 tsp fresh ginger – minced
3 cloves garlic – minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cardamom
1.5 tsp salt
*optional – pinch of cayenne for heat
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 TBSP each of lemon juice and lime juice
Pepper to taste
*Optional –
1-1.5 lb chicken breast or thighs – cooked and shredded
2 cups cooked basmati rice
fresh basil or cilantro to top
INSTRUCTIONS
If using rice and chicken, go ahead and cook that so it’s ready when the curry dish is finished.
Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook until softened and starting to brown. Reduce the heat to medium/low when it’s close to done.
In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, salt & if using, the cayenne. In another small bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, and 1 TBSP of the spice mixture until the garlic and ginger is coated. Set both bowls aside.
Add the sweet potatoes to the onions and cook for a few minutes. Then, add the cauliflower, coconut milk, and the mixture of spices and garlic/ginger. Stir well to combine and then cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes (or until vegetables begin to soften). If it becomes to thick, you can add just a little bit of water to thin it out.
Add the lemon & lime juice, spinach, and peas and stir until combined. If using chicken, add that now as well. Taste and adjust by adding more of the spice mixture if preferred.
Serve over rice and top with basil or cilantro if you like!